Being in the cleaning business for many years(apartments-not cars) and also an owner of an '04 z06 CE (that came from the dealer with swirls - at no charge extra), my take on the foam is that it helps lift grit and grime off the car as the foam disolves and it creates a layer of protection between your wash mitt and the paint. If you let is sit for a minute before removing, it can do its job a little better. There are foam cleaning products for many types of jobs that use this principle.
If you really want to get serious, foam the car, let it sit for a few minutes, rinse it, foam it again and then use a wash mitt.
I've also read a couple of posts on the board that single out washing as the main source of swirls. Putting a cover on an unwashed car probably adds many micro-scratches as well.
In addition to letting the rinse water cascade over the car, I also do the same when begining a wash. There's no need to drive the micro-grit and grime into the paint any more than necessary.
Another thing I do is to use three wash mitts. I never use a rinsed mitt as the fibers may contain micro-grit that is missed during a rinse. I rinse them all after and then wash them. Mitts are cheap.
If you don't have a blower to dry your ride with, check out the 225mph Toro Ultra Blower Vac , Model 51598, Price: $74.99/ea at H.D.
I found a 185mph Homelite model for $30 at H.D. that works very well. I leave off the end section of the blower tube to get more air dispersion.
A product that I use on metal, chrome, aluminum, plastic, vinyl, glass and light colored paint to remove light scratches/marring is Gel-Gloss. If you polish your windows with it, they will be so smooth that water will sheet off and you won't need your wipers. If you do use your wipers, they glide across the glass. Gel-gloss also has many uses around the house. It can be cut with water to create an ultra-fine cleaning solution. Try a small area first with very gentle application.
Also very helpful during a quick detailing is the California Mini-Duster. I use it to remove brake dust from my rims. If you use it for your rims, don't use it for anything else. I've used my current mini-duster for about a year now. It's time to get a new one. If the rims are not too dirty, it gets most of it off in a couple of minutes. I remove the rest with soft towel. Anything left over use an Armour All Leather cleaner wipes. It suspends the dust and then I use an old t-shirt to remove the rest. I don't know why it works, but it does. All this is done w/o water and just a few minutes per rim.
If you keep a Swifter Dusting cloth on hand for your interior, you can do a quick detail of your dash and everything else in a few minutes. In a pinch, they will also remove light brake dust. Once the Swifter cloth is full of dust (except brake dust), throw them if with your wash and you can get a few more uses out of them.
Note: I have no financial interest in the products mentioned and as always, use them at your own risk.
